Wedding budgets are hard to control. Where you have your wedding and reception (the venue) can be very expensive. Here are some ideas. If your home or that of a friend or relative is large enough to accommodate the number of guests you plan to invite to your wedding, you can save a ton of money. Do any home renovations and major landscaping far in advance of the wedding. You can rent trellises, archways, gazebos, etc. if you don't already have them and decorate them with flowers, or have the ceremony inside by a fireplace, or other pretty location with lots of room for guests. Consider inviting the neighbors, since there will be increased noise and congestion. Send a map with the invitations if you think guests will have a hard time finding the site. Mark the outside with balloons or signs.
The Wedding Date: Schedule your date at least three weeks before or after any holiday. It's also a good idea to schedule around sports events or other major events in your town. Saturdays almost always command a higher price than other weekend days and certainly more than weekdays. The biggest wedding months are September/October and June/July. You can save big bucks if you get married in any other month. There are many locations that specifically cater to outdoor weddings and will be able to coordinate all the details. If you are planning it yourself, here's some things to think about. Back up tents or other cover are a good idea, in case of rain or blazing sun that will melt not only your cake, but also your guests. Tents should be set up several days prior to the event to ensure dry ground underneath. Have an adequate number of chairs for both the wedding and reception. If the reception will go into the evening, you will want lights and perhaps heaters, depending on weather. If insects are a problem in your area, consider pre-spraying with insecticide or lighting punk sticks or citronella candles. If you want dancing, you may want to rent a portable dance floor. Also remember to consider the needs of any of your guests who may have special handicap or accessibility needs. Parking and rest room facilities should also be adequate for the number of guests you are planning. |